Umbrella



(no Model.)

B. P}. SAFIFOLD. UMBRELLA.

No. 574,219. Patented Dec. 29, 1896.

Tm: nonnls PETERS cc.. mo'rouwm WASHINGTON. n. c.

UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE.

RAY P. SAFFOLD, OF SELMA, ALABAMA.

UMBRELLA.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 574,219, dated December 29, 1896. Application filed September 25, 1896. Serial No. 606,987. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, RAY P. SAFFOLD, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Selma, in the county of Dallas and State of Alabama, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Umbrellas; andl do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in means for attaching the cover of an umbrella to the ribs thereof; and it consists in the novel reinforcing-fastener to be used for that purp0se,as hereinafter described and claimed.

My invention will be understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein the same parts are indicated by the same letters throughout the several views.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an open umbrella provided with my improved reinforcing-fastener. Fig. 2 is an elevation of a similar umbrella closed. Fig. 3 is an e11- larged detail perspective View of a portion of an umbrella, showing one of the reinforcingfasteners applied to the cover and rib; and Fig. 4: is a perspective View of one of the leather blanks shown in use as a fastener.

A represents the cover of the umbrella, which may be of any suitable material such as is commonly used for such purposes.

B represents one of the reinforcingfasteners for attaching the cover to the ends of the ribs 0. This reinforcing-fastener consists of a blank B of thin and flexible but sufficiently strong material, preferably leather, having the relatively widened and rounded body portion 6 and a pair of oppositely-disposed lugs or ears Z), connected to said body portion 11 by a reduced portion or neck The body portion (1 is attached to the cover A at the proper point by means of one or more rows of stitches around the same near the edge thereof, as seen in Fig. 3. By having this body portion rounded, as shown, the strain on the cover is equally distributed as far as practicable, and the liability of the cloth to tear is greatly reduced, not only from what it would be if the cover were attached to the rib in the ordinary manner, that is, by stitches through the same and through the rib merely, but also from what it would be if the said body portion or reinforcement of the fastener should be made angular, in which latter case the cloth would be apt to tear at the corners of the said reinforcement.

After the body portions 1) or reinforcements of the fasteners have been attached to the cloth of the cover A, as above described, the ears b of these fasteners are then secured to the ribs near their ends by being turned down over the sides of the said ribs and then stitched through the leather of the said ears and through the eyelets ordinarily provided in the ribs of an umbrella; or if no eyelets are provided the ends of the said ears may be stitched together upon the under side of the rib, and being thus drawn tightly around the said rib will form a secure fastening. of leather D may also be used as a reinforcement in attaching the cover to the rod of the umbrella, as seen in Figs. 1 and 2.

By using my improved reinforcing-fasteners for attaching the cover to the ribs it will be seen that the liabibity of the cover to tear at its juncture with the ribs will be greatly lessened on account of the distribution thereby of the strain upon the cloth over a much greater area.

My reinforcing-fasteners may be applied to an old as well as a new umbrella, and by their use a worn umbrella may be restored to good condition.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States, is-

As a new article of manufacture, a blank for use as a fastener for attaching the cover of an umbrella to'the ribs thereof, comprising the relatively widened, and rounded body portion 1) having a pair of oppositely-disposed ears b connected thereto by a reduced portion or neck b the whole being stamped or cut from a single piece of thin flexible material, substantially as and for the purposes described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses RAY P. SAFFOLD.

Witnesses:

HUGH NELSON, JNO. M. BURNS.

Another piece 

